PRESYNTHESISED INTERFACES FOR CERAMIC-MATRIX COMPOSITES VIA FIBER COATING

Chemical vapour deposited carbon and silicon carbide have been applied to Nicalon SiC fibres. The chemical compatibility and mechanical integrity have been evaluated via conventional techniques. The bi-layer coated fibres were hot pressed within a magnesium-aluminium-silicate (MAS) glass-ceramic matrix to determine thermal stability, structure and morphology of the embedded fibres. The micromechanical response of the fibre/matrix interface was determined using a unique scanning electron microscope (SEM) based microindentation system designed to measure interfacial shear strengths during fibre push down.